Dysfunctional Brothers
by Butterfly Stomper II
Summary: This was not the welcome home that Nori was expecting... (A Brothers Ri focused tale that takes place a number of decades before the quest but after Nori left and came back home a few times. Title is kind of odd, but I couldn't think of anything else.)
1. Down the Ally

_I have been browsing through the Hobbit fan fiction for a while now and finally decided to post one of the many ideas that I have been working on. What was originally going to be a one shot story has been broken up into short chapters. I felt that it was best suited that way. _

_These are short chapters, though they very in length._

_Not sure how well this is written but I did my best. I hope it's not too confusing and that the characters are not too OOC._

_It focuses on the Brothers Ri and their relationship. I have not read the book, I've only seen the movie. I do plan on reading it in the future. I adore the movies and the characters of the dwarves. _

_I don't own the Hobbit or any of the characters._

* * *

The iron taste of blood was growing more evident in his mouth as he slouched against the wall. Nori wanted nothing more than to allow his legs to collapse under him and fall to the ground. However, the group of three dwarves that surrounded him wasn't going to allow that. He had lost track of how long this beating had lasted, but it was longer than any other one and seemed particularly brutal.

This was one way to be welcomed home; not exactly the pint of ale he was hoping for.

Another punch to the face and he groaned at the pain, his head swimming from the torture it already endured. There was a pause in the flurry of pain when one of the dwarves spoke.

"You going to talk?" he questioned. This was a stocky dwarf with a pointed black beard that hung down to the mid chest. His hair was pulled back in a thick braid that ended just past his shoulders. On either side of Nori were two other dwarf men. The one on the left had a ginger beard that framed his face as thick muttonchops and sported a long bushy mustache that fell off his face with the two ends braided together. The one on the right also had a thick ginger colored beard but his was full and rounded out, ending at the bottom of his neck. They had the same cut hair that fell just past their shoulders with a braid running down the middle. Looking at them, one could deduce that they were twins.

Nori barely knew these three. He'd seen them in a glance most times he went to the inn for a drink and some fun. There might have been some words exchanged between them off and on. He was often away from the village and his trips to the inn upon returning were usually a rush of old faces and new stories. He didn't even remember their names.

In the present, Nori remained silent as he kept from eye contacted with the black haired dwarf. "Hey! I know you're not deaf. Tell me where your stash is!" he commanded.

Narrowing his eyes as best he could, Nori's only response was spitting the blood in his mouth at the boss assailant. The dwarf jumped back just a bit too late to avoid the blood splatter but then responded with a punch to Nori's gut.

The injured dwarf coughed as the air was knocked out of him for a minute. His head hung low as he coaxed air back into his lungs. "I am going to get that information, Nori," the black haired dwarf spoke in harsh tones. "You are going to tell me where all your stolen loot is hidden even if I have to beat you to death,"

In the state that he was in, the thief had no way to defend himself and he had no voice to lie his way out of this. It was dawning on Nori that he might actually be beaten to death by these three. Why had he been so smug to lead them on? This was really not what he was expecting when he actually decided to return home.

A voice suddenly called from down the ally way. This alerted the group of three dwarfs but the voice took its time registering with the half conscious Nori. "What is going on here?" the words were fuzzy in the dwarf's ears. He managed to hear not only an authoritative tone but what seemed to be a hint of familiarity to it.

* * *

_Hope you enjoyed it. Please review it. I should have the next chapter up in not too long._


	2. A Chance Interruption

_Here is the next chapter of the story. This too is another short chapter. _

_Thank you to those who reviewed the story so far, it really makes me happy. _

_I don't own The Hobbit or any of it's characters. _

* * *

Dori stood at the front of the ally way. He and Ori were passing by on their way to the market when he heard the sounds of a fight. At this time, he'd gotten the attention of the three dwarfs who surrounded a fourth. He recognized the one standing in front of the fourth as Gress, a stone carver from town. He then realized the other two were the twins Dovic and Davic, who both worked as movers of the stone that needed carving. The three were often seen together, the twin ginger dwarves almost acting like henchmen to Gress. The fourth, however, was difficult to see due to both the shadows of the ally and two of the dwarven group obscured him. In fact, Dori could have sworn that two had moved in ordered to keep him from seeing the fourth.

Gress stepped forward. "This is a private matter, it doesn't concern you," he commanded in a rather rude tone.

Dori raised a brow. Private matter? It looked more like they were beating some poor soul up in an ally way. What kind of self-respecting dwarf would be so cowardly?

His thoughts were interrupted when he heard Ori gasp from his place beside him. When the elder looked at the young dwarf, he noted the horror held in his eyes. "Brother," the adolescent dwarfling began with a panicked tone. "It's Nori! That's NORI!" his voice went up as he spoke their brother's name a second time.

Dori's head snapped back to the group in front of them. Bless Ori's keen eye for detail because at that moment a small amount of light managed to illuminate the fourth dwarf dimly. His eyes widened at the sight of his brother leaning against the wall. He could see a busted lip and a swollen eye but from the way Nori was keeled over, Dori knew it was worse then just that.

The older dwarf trembled; rage filling his body as he walked into the ally with Ori following behind. The steps Dori took was heavy and one might think the ground beneath each foot was cracking under the weight. "None of my business?" his voice was dripping with malice. "Get… away… from my brother,"

"I told you it's a private matter, w…we have business to discuss," Gress stood his ground, though it was easy to tell that his voice was less confident.

"You're business is with me now," was the response. Without taking his eyes off the black haired dwarf, Dori directed his voiced toward his youngest brother. "Ori, go get Nori and take him out of here,"

Ori glanced at the oldest before nodding. While these three intimidated him, the concern he had for his other brother was greater than his fear. He started toward his Nori.

Gress would have none of this interruption and he moved to push the young dwarf away from his victim. This action was never completed as he was shoved against the wall. In a speed that Ori never saw, Dori stopped the assailant in a display of force that was accompanied by a nauseating crack from the black haired dwarf. He gasped in pain as Dori's eyes grew thinner and his voice even harsher. "How badly do you want this to end that you'd try and attack my youngest brother too?"

This side of Dori was new to Ori as he looked at his brother. However, this shock vanished at the sound of a weak voice; "Dori?" it questioned. The youngest turned toward Nori and scrambled over to him, between the twins who were staring at the their detained boss.

Ori did his best to support his older brother, helping him off the ground. Nori moaned in pain at this movement, which upset Ori. Looking back at Dori, he saw that the eldest was looking at them. His expression told the youngest to leave the ally now. Dori didn't want him seeing what he was about to do. So, Ori obliged and he nearly dragged the injured Nori out of the ally way.

* * *

_So, that's chapter 2. I will ashore you that the next chapter is longer than the first two. _

_It should be up sooner rather than later._


	3. Dealing with Pain

_I am glad people are liking the story. So, here is another update._

_This chapter is longer than the last ones and I think that might be a trend from here on out. _

_I don't own the Hobbit or any of the characters._

* * *

A few feet from the entrance to the ally way, Ori leaned his brother against a wall the best he could. He took note that Nori was quiet while being dragged and that bothered the young dwarf. However, his placement against the wall appeared to jolt his brother enough that he opened his eyes.

One of them was so swollen that it was nothing more than a squint while the other one only opened a little more then halfway. Ori looked into the face of his brother with pain in his eyes, as he could now see the state he was in. However, even through it, Nori gave him a small smirk. "Hey there, Kiddo," he spoke the phrase he said every time he came home.

The dwarfling could feel the wetness in the corner of his eyes. This was the first time Ori had seen his brother in over a year. He didn't even know that Nori was back in town. Fear started to race through the youngest as he imagined what could have happened if he and Dori decided not to go to the market. "Why did they do this to you?" he asked in what he hoped wasn't a whimper.

"Job hazard," Nori answered and tried to chuckle but it came out as a cough instead due to the pain in his ribs. Ori moved closer to him but Nori didn't notice this as he realized something was missing. "Where is Dori?" he asked in a soft and groaned tone. "I know I heard him. I was half expecting to wake up to his scowling face,"

Ori sat back on his feet and glanced to the ally way. "He's back there. I think he's talking to the guys who did this to you," he turned his attention back to his brother and lowered his eyes to the ground. "Though, I don't think I've ever seen him so angry before,"

Nori looked back toward the entrance to the ally and smirked. "Talking?… I doubt that," his voice was breathy and Ori looked at him in confusion. The youngest watched as his brother's expression changed. "Well, look who's back,"

Ori turned to see Dori at the exit of the ally where he paused without even looking at them. The youngest looked him over when he noticed how hard he was breathing. That's when he saw the red that stained oldest brother's hands, which were still curved into fists. Panic over took the dwarfling and he dashed over to his elder. "Dori, you're hurt! Your hands…" he began.

Dori looked down at his youngest brother, his brow still knitted from aggravation and adrenaline. "It's not my blood, Ori," he spoke with little emotion in his voice. The eldest lifted one of his now loosened hands and placed it on Ori's shoulder, moving him away from the ally. This was in hopes his brother wouldn't be curious to look down to see what he'd done. Ori, however, was in stunned silence at what he'd been told as they walked back to Nori.

The eldest brother stood over the middle child, looking down his nose at him. Nori turned to gaze back, looking directly in his eyes as best he could. "What did they want?" Dori questioned.

Nori smirked. "You didn't ask?"

Dori's eyes narrowed. "They wouldn't say,"

A breathy chuckle left Nori's lips, accompanied by a minor cough. "They thought I had some treasure horde of things I've stolen in the past," he coughed. "They wanted me to tell them where it was,"

"And do you have one?" Dori asked bluntly.

Nori was silent but his smirk remained on his face; one that could be interpreted as yes or no.

Dori huffed out a sigh and pinched be bridge of his nose. If this is what happened to him when he came home, what could he be getting into while he was out on the road?

There was silence between the brothers as Ori looked nervously from one to the other.

After a number of moments, Dori straightened himself up before leaning over and grasping Nori's left ear tightly. The middle brother had no time to react before his elder pulled his ear up and he had no choice but to follow.

"Ow ow ow ow," the thief spoke in protest as he was forced to walk on his own two feet through the pain his bruises inflicted on him. It was either that or possibly lose his ear to the iron grip of his brother.

Dori walked with purpose as he ignored all the cries, protests and curses his sibling dished out. Not once did he even lighten his grip as he walked him down the road.

Ori was hot on their heels, having to nearly run to keep up with the pace of the eldest. He shot sympathetic looks to Nori. "Dori, he's hurt, what are you doing?" he chimed.

"He may have been in the victim in this, but he still needs to be taught a lesson," Dori's stoic voice was heard.

"This is not a lesson," Nori spoke next. "This is abuse," another painful sound came from his throat as Dori gave a tug.

"You take care of yourself on the road, don't you? Why should I baby you when you get home?" there was a hint of disdain.

"You don't have to injure me more," but this plea went unanswered as the three of them continued to walk.

They drew some attention from those they passed and from the shops along the way. The sight itself must have been kind of startling. An adult dwarf dragging a young adult dwarf by the ear while a near adolescent dwarf attempted to keep pace with them, it was not exactly normal. Then again, these three brothers were not exactly a normal family.

* * *

_That was chapter 3 and I hope that you enjoyed it._

___Unfortunately__, I do believe the updates will slow down after this because the previous ones were already written. I will try my best to not have too much time before the next one. _


End file.
